Top 10 Times South Park Roasted Public Figures
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If you're a prominent public figure, you better be prepared for "South Park" to make fun of you. For this list, we’ll be looking at notable politicians, athletes, and business moguls that the show has poked fun at. Actors and the like will be left out as they deserve a list of their own. Our countdown includes Mark Zuckerberg, Jeff Bezos, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, and more! Who do you think they parodied the best? Let us know in the comments.
Tesla may have become one of the leading electric car manufacturers in the world, but that doesn’t mean they are beyond being made fun of. During the season 18 episode, “Handicar”, Musk and his company go up against Timmy and his new Uber-esque driving service. Elon has become frustrated by the fact that ride sharing services are becoming a serious competitor to his car company. We’re treated to a Musk who’s overly obsessed with his dominance in the market and ends up in a wacky race with Timmy and other competitors. The episode is made funnier when you learn that showrunners Matt Stone and Trey Parker are actually real-life friends with the entrepreneur.
During Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, “South Park” turned Garrison into their own version of the famed “The Apprentice” star. Garrison’s rise in politics is just as surreal as the real estate mogul’s. Trey and Parker hadn’t expected Trump to win the election, and had to continue the parody far longer than they expected. However, their roasts remained relevant, working in shots at Trump’s remarks about women, a supposedly “rigged” election, and the Covid-19 pandemic. An actual depiction of Trump does appear as well, but only briefly in a season 5 episode called “The Entity”, coincidentally also focused around Garrison.
Most of the early jokes about Brady were mild and comical in nature. They include jabs at the “bradying” meme; having Brady endorse a bodily fluid as a sports drink; and an unpleasant bout of intestinal distress. But clearly the events of Deflate-gate, in which Brady allegedly ordered the deflation of footballs in the 2014 AFC Championship Game, inspired the writers. Season 19 opens with the boys pleading to Cartman to break the rules, just like Tom Brady. Townsfolk may later try to steal his bodily waste, but nothing really burns more than being called a cheater.
We’ve seen Hillary’s husband Bill on “South Park” several times. But Hillary has been almost as much of a running joke as Saddam Hussein, appearing in over a dozen episodes. Season 11’s “The Snuke” saw Clinton trying to convince the townsfolk into voting for her, only to discover that she’s the target of a bomb that’s literally inside her body. She also becomes a staple during Garrison’s presidential campaign, running as his opponent - where she has an unfortunate habit of parroting whatever her advisors have told her to say.
Back in 2009, Tiger Woods admitted to multiple affairs when over a dozen women came forward. Following the first exposé, Woods suffered minor injuries, which he claimed was due to a car accident, but which tabloids alleged was caused by his wife Elin Nordegren. Naturally, “South Park” couldn’t stay away. In this season 14 episode, a heated argument between Woods and Nordegren spirals out of control. But as the camera pulls back, it’s Kenny and Cartman playing “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11”. Making his misfortune a literal game within the show gives the audience a unique perspective on our obsession with celebrities.
“South Park’s” depiction of the Amazon founder manages to be both ridiculous and inspired at the same time. Resembling a Talosian, a telepathic alien race from “Star Trek”, he’s portrayed as all seeing, all knowing, and trying to do what he thinks is best for everyone in town … while falling completely short. The funniest parodies are often those that aren’t far off from the truth. Bezos’s Amazon has really become the go-to for everything, so seeing it spun like this is certainly art imitating life.
His election as the first African American President of the United States was historic. But did you know he partnered with John McCain in an effort to steal the famous Hope Diamond from the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History? Turns out both of them are part of the Presidential Crime Syndicate and the election was just part of the plan. Or so “South Park” would have you believe. Obama has made several notable appearances since this episode, including making questionable deals with the Chinese over “Star Wars”. But we have to applaud this roast given that the episode aired literally one day after he’d been elected. That’s timely comedy!
Like it or not, Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook have changed the world. Despite his prominence, many people have struggled to get a read on Zuckerberg’s public persona. Nowhere was this more evidence than when he was interrogated by Congress in 2018 - spawning countless memes. In “South Park”, Professor Chaos begins a misinformation campaign using Facebook. When Zuckerberg is called on, he’s childish and entitled, showing up everywhere and invading people’s privacy - a lot like Facebook! He also has a curiously robotic voice. When he answers a question, you know he’s said something, but it leaves everyone more confused than informed.
This character debuted in the season two premiere, which sees the infamous Iraqi leader attempt to invade Canada. Shown as Saddam’s face tacked onto a small animated body, the former dictator gets the best roast ever by eventually ending up in hell. It went even further when he appeared in “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut”. Engaged in a physical relationship with Satan, he’s a sex maniac who wants to take over the world. As a man who was universally despised, we can’t fathom a better way to portray such a menace.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
They Must Have Really Hated Windows 98
That Army Is Looking a Little Dated
He Apparently Knew Cartman’s Mom Quite Well
Al Gore has the distinction of having been royally roasted, but then apologized to by “South Park”. Introduced during season 10’s “ManBearPig” episode and seen again during the “Imagination” trilogy, Gore was eviscerated for his concern with ManBearPig, an analogy for climate change. He was shown as a grown man who wore a cape, pretended to fly, and yelled “Excelsior!” while warning everyone about something no one believed in. The show did a reverse course however in season 22, with a multi-part episode that essentially acknowledged the reality of climate change and apologized for being wrong.
#10: Elon Musk
“Handicar”Tesla may have become one of the leading electric car manufacturers in the world, but that doesn’t mean they are beyond being made fun of. During the season 18 episode, “Handicar”, Musk and his company go up against Timmy and his new Uber-esque driving service. Elon has become frustrated by the fact that ride sharing services are becoming a serious competitor to his car company. We’re treated to a Musk who’s overly obsessed with his dominance in the market and ends up in a wacky race with Timmy and other competitors. The episode is made funnier when you learn that showrunners Matt Stone and Trey Parker are actually real-life friends with the entrepreneur.
#9: Donald Trump
VariousDuring Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign, “South Park” turned Garrison into their own version of the famed “The Apprentice” star. Garrison’s rise in politics is just as surreal as the real estate mogul’s. Trey and Parker hadn’t expected Trump to win the election, and had to continue the parody far longer than they expected. However, their roasts remained relevant, working in shots at Trump’s remarks about women, a supposedly “rigged” election, and the Covid-19 pandemic. An actual depiction of Trump does appear as well, but only briefly in a season 5 episode called “The Entity”, coincidentally also focused around Garrison.
#8: Tom Brady
VariousMost of the early jokes about Brady were mild and comical in nature. They include jabs at the “bradying” meme; having Brady endorse a bodily fluid as a sports drink; and an unpleasant bout of intestinal distress. But clearly the events of Deflate-gate, in which Brady allegedly ordered the deflation of footballs in the 2014 AFC Championship Game, inspired the writers. Season 19 opens with the boys pleading to Cartman to break the rules, just like Tom Brady. Townsfolk may later try to steal his bodily waste, but nothing really burns more than being called a cheater.
#7: Hillary Clinton
VariousWe’ve seen Hillary’s husband Bill on “South Park” several times. But Hillary has been almost as much of a running joke as Saddam Hussein, appearing in over a dozen episodes. Season 11’s “The Snuke” saw Clinton trying to convince the townsfolk into voting for her, only to discover that she’s the target of a bomb that’s literally inside her body. She also becomes a staple during Garrison’s presidential campaign, running as his opponent - where she has an unfortunate habit of parroting whatever her advisors have told her to say.
#6: Tiger Woods
“Sexual Healing”Back in 2009, Tiger Woods admitted to multiple affairs when over a dozen women came forward. Following the first exposé, Woods suffered minor injuries, which he claimed was due to a car accident, but which tabloids alleged was caused by his wife Elin Nordegren. Naturally, “South Park” couldn’t stay away. In this season 14 episode, a heated argument between Woods and Nordegren spirals out of control. But as the camera pulls back, it’s Kenny and Cartman playing “Tiger Woods PGA Tour 11”. Making his misfortune a literal game within the show gives the audience a unique perspective on our obsession with celebrities.
#5: Jeff Bezos
“Unfulfilled”“South Park’s” depiction of the Amazon founder manages to be both ridiculous and inspired at the same time. Resembling a Talosian, a telepathic alien race from “Star Trek”, he’s portrayed as all seeing, all knowing, and trying to do what he thinks is best for everyone in town … while falling completely short. The funniest parodies are often those that aren’t far off from the truth. Bezos’s Amazon has really become the go-to for everything, so seeing it spun like this is certainly art imitating life.
#4: Barack Obama
VariousHis election as the first African American President of the United States was historic. But did you know he partnered with John McCain in an effort to steal the famous Hope Diamond from the Smithsonian's Museum of Natural History? Turns out both of them are part of the Presidential Crime Syndicate and the election was just part of the plan. Or so “South Park” would have you believe. Obama has made several notable appearances since this episode, including making questionable deals with the Chinese over “Star Wars”. But we have to applaud this roast given that the episode aired literally one day after he’d been elected. That’s timely comedy!
#3: Mark Zuckerberg
“Franchise Prequel”Like it or not, Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook have changed the world. Despite his prominence, many people have struggled to get a read on Zuckerberg’s public persona. Nowhere was this more evidence than when he was interrogated by Congress in 2018 - spawning countless memes. In “South Park”, Professor Chaos begins a misinformation campaign using Facebook. When Zuckerberg is called on, he’s childish and entitled, showing up everywhere and invading people’s privacy - a lot like Facebook! He also has a curiously robotic voice. When he answers a question, you know he’s said something, but it leaves everyone more confused than informed.
#2: Saddam Hussein
VariousThis character debuted in the season two premiere, which sees the infamous Iraqi leader attempt to invade Canada. Shown as Saddam’s face tacked onto a small animated body, the former dictator gets the best roast ever by eventually ending up in hell. It went even further when he appeared in “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut”. Engaged in a physical relationship with Satan, he’s a sex maniac who wants to take over the world. As a man who was universally despised, we can’t fathom a better way to portray such a menace.
Before we unveil our top pick, here are a few honorable mentions.
Bill Gates, “South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut” (1999)
They Must Have Really Hated Windows 98
Queen Elizabeth II, “The Snuke”
That Army Is Looking a Little Dated
John Elway, “City On the Edge of Forever (Flashbacks)”
He Apparently Knew Cartman’s Mom Quite Well
#1: Al Gore
VariousAl Gore has the distinction of having been royally roasted, but then apologized to by “South Park”. Introduced during season 10’s “ManBearPig” episode and seen again during the “Imagination” trilogy, Gore was eviscerated for his concern with ManBearPig, an analogy for climate change. He was shown as a grown man who wore a cape, pretended to fly, and yelled “Excelsior!” while warning everyone about something no one believed in. The show did a reverse course however in season 22, with a multi-part episode that essentially acknowledged the reality of climate change and apologized for being wrong.
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